Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Dutton—to stop houses being built? And you sit in silence because you know that it's true. You sit in silence because you know that it's true and that this is all about your political campaign, thinking that you can peel votes off. It's not actually about helping Australians who need help with housing.

That is what is so appalling and hypocritical about the Greens political party. They come in here and tell us: 'You're the two major parties. We're the ones that care about people. We're the ones that actually care.' But they come in here with the most cynical of political acts in teaming up with Mr Dutton, who is not known for his support for social housing, who is not known for his support for affordable housing and who is not known for his support for anything positive for the Australian people. You empower him, and then you come in here and tell us, 'You're not doing what we want, so we're going to vote no.' Give us all a break—really! I think it is patently self-evident to everybody in this chamber—the cynical political tactics that the Greens are engaging in. What you should do is come in and vote for the bill, and then people will take you seriously when it comes to housing.